Could Tyson Ross’s future as a Padres starting pitcher ultimately be linked to having the National League adopt the designated hitter?

There are questions about the right-hander’s future as a starting pitcher if he has to hit . . . at the same time there is growing sentiment among many National League general managers to adopt the designated hitter given the increased number of interleague games spread across the length of the schedule.

“The way it is set up now (the balanced 15-team leagues with at least one inter-league series being played all time), a number of National League general managers believe our league is at a disadvantage,” Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said Friday.

“You almost have to have a DH all the time given the randomness of the schedule.”

Some baseball executives believe the National League might address adopting the DH as soon as next winter.

Meanwhile, there are questions surrounding Ross, who suffered a subluxation – partial and temporary dislocation – of his left shoulder while swinging the bat at Dodger Stadium on April 17 in his third National League start.

As it stands now, National League pitchers have to hit.

Given the nature of Ross’s injury – and the high possibility of future subluxations while swinging the bat – the right-hander’s immediate future as a Padre might be as a relief pitcher than a starter.

The Padres have been here before.

Ross suffered the same injury in the same situation as Dustin Moseley had during the 2011 season. Moseley, who, like Ross, was new to the National League and hitting after spending his minor league and early major league career in the American League, where pitchers don’t hit.

Both were right-handed hitters who suffered the subluxation to their non-pitching shoulder on full swings. Both subluxations were to the posterior side of the shoulder capsule. Padres head trainer Todd Hutcheson labeled the coincidence of the two injuries “bizarre.”

Moseley quickly returned to the mound, suffered the same injury a second time and had surgery to strengthen the capsule. Moseley’s career as a Padre ended early last season due to a different injury to his pitching shoulder.

But while the Padres see the injuries to Ross and Moseley as being a coincidence, they are taking steps while Ross is on the disabled list to reduce the chances of it happening again.

Ross will swing a lighter bat when he returns and have a shorter swing. The Padres took many of the same steps with Moseley to no avail. One Padres official raised the possibility that Ross consider hitting from the left side.

Another concern with Ross is his ability to field his position. The subluxation made some movements with his glove hand both painful and difficult.

“I think the biggest fear was my defense,” Ross said Friday. “My pitching is fine. They are strengthening my shoulder and cutting down on my swing to answer that problem. Hitting is a secondary thing to pitching and fielding my position.”

But the Padres are concerned that another full swing like Ross took in Los Angeles could have the same result and require a surgical repair.

“Surgery to the posterior capsule is not quite as solid,” said Hutcheson.

Notable

--Kyle Blanks continues to improve from last Sunday’s collision with the left field wall in San Francisco and will likely start in right field Saturday night and get a couple starts next week in Chicago.

--Infielder Logan Forsythe is out of his protective boot but is still at least several weeks away from resuming baseball activities due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Forsythe is not eligible to return from the 60-day disabled list until May 22.

--Right-handed starter Joe Wieland, who had “Tommy John” surgery at the end of last July, threw a 100-pitch bullpen session at the Padres extended spring training site in Arizona.